1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable communication apparatus, such as a cellular phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), an HHP (HandHeld Phone), a camera phone, a game phone, or an Internet phone for sending messages, and more particularly to a sliding-folding type portable communication apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a “portable communication apparatus” refers to an electronic appliance that allows users to wirelessly communicate with other users via the portable communication apparatus. In consideration of portability, designs of such portable communication apparatuses tend to be compact, slim, and light, and also tend to provide multimedia capability along with a wide variety of other functions. In particular, future portable communication apparatuses are expected to incorporate greater multi-functionality and be capable of multi-purpose utilization, as well as to be more compact and light. The portable communication apparatuses will likely be modified to be suitable for various multimedia environments or Internet environments. Additionally, such portable communication apparatuses are now commonly used by all kinds of people, regardless of age or gender, throughout the world, and are recognized by some people as being a nearly indispensable commodity which must be carried at all times.
A conventional portable communication apparatus may be classified into one of various types according to its external appearance, e.g. a bar-type, a flip-type, or a folder-type. The bar-type portable communication apparatus has a single housing shaped like a bar. The flip-type portable communication apparatus has a flip pivotably mounted to a bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit. The folder-type portable communication apparatus has a folder coupled to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit in such a manner that the folder can be rotated to fold to or unfold from the housing.
In addition, a portable communication apparatus can be classified into a neck wearable-type portable communication apparatus or a wrist-type portable communication apparatus according to its position with respect to a human body. The user can wear the neck wearable-type portable communication apparatus on his or her neck using a string or lanyard. In addition, the user can wear the wrist-type portable communication apparatus on his or her wrist.
Further, a portable communication apparatus may be classified as a rotation-type communication apparatus or sliding-type communication apparatus according to the manner of opening and closing the communication apparatus. In the rotation-type portable communication apparatus, two housings are coupled to each other in such a manner that one housing rotates to open and close relative to the other while they face each other. In the sliding-type portable communication apparatus, two housings are coupled to each other in such a manner that one housing slides to open or close relative to the other. These variously classified portable communication apparatuses can be easily understood by those skilled in the art.
Meanwhile, conventional portable communication apparatuses typically include a function for transmitting data at a high speed in addition to the basic function of performing voice communication. In other words, according to the increased consumer demand, portable communication apparatuses now tend to provide a service using a wireless communication technology capable of transmitting data at a high speed.
Currently, portable communication apparatuses tend to be equipped with camera lenses which enable each communication apparatus to capture and transmit an image signal. That is, current portable communication apparatuses may have an internal or an external camera lens module which enables a user to make image communication with a desired partner or to photograph a desired subject.
However, although the folder-type portable communication apparatus has an advantage in view of portability because it can be fabricated in a compact size, a display unit of the folder-type communication apparatus is so small that the user may feel inconvenienced when viewing an image displayed on the display unit. In addition, although the sliding-type portable communication apparatus is equipped with a display unit having a large size for allowing the user to conveniently view the image displayed on the display unit, it may represent a problem in regard to maintaining compactness. In addition, since the display unit is exposed to an exterior without a protective device therefor, the display unit of the sliding-type portable communication apparatus may be easily broken if the sliding-type portable communication apparatus falls to the ground through user's carelessness.
Furthermore, body frames of the conventional portable communication apparatuses are generally made from rigid plastic, so the body frames may be broken or internal parts installed in the body frames may be damaged when storing external impact is applied to the body frames.
Actually, the portable communication apparatus may frequently fall to the ground through user's carelessness, so the body frames of the portable communication apparatuses may be easily broken or edges of a display unit or an antenna housing may be easily damaged.